Young Koreans Treat Supplements as Daily Self-Care; Convenience Stores and Daiso Gain Interest
Creatrip Team
4 months ago
A market survey of 1,000 Koreans aged 19–69 found 84.5% view dietary supplements (건강기능식품) as an investment in health and self-care, and 86.3% have purchased them. About 71% of supplement users take them daily, mainly for routine health maintenance. Younger adults (20s–30s) are less likely to see supplements as a middle‑age or aging marker and favor tasty, convenient formats like jelly and chewables over pills. Online malls are the top purchase channel, but younger consumers increasingly try low‑cost, small‑size products sold at convenience stores and Daiso (a popular Japanese-style dollar-store chain in Korea) as trial or “entry” options. Price, ingredients, and efficacy are key purchase factors; many respondents consider inexpensive single‑use packs (around 5,000 KRW) a low-risk way to try supplements. Overall, demand for affordable, small‑package supplements is rising, especially among 20s–30s, who often take multiple products concurrently.
